Feds: NetWalker ransomware attacks seldomly reported

The U.S. Justice Department and the FBI disclosed that only one-fourth of organizations impacted by the now-disrupted NetWalker ransomware group informed authorities regarding the attacks, according to The Record, a news site by cybersecurity firm Recorded Future.Only 115 NetWalker victims had filed reports to the FBI even though more than 450 victims, as well as 1,500 "builds," or NetWalker ransomware versions, were identified in the investigation, said Ryan Frampton, a member of the cyberaction team at the FBIs Tampa Division, at the RSA Conference. "Those victims that filed a report said they paid $6.7 million dollars. But if you look at the blockchain research and the information that we obtained from the backend server, Netwalker actually extorted nearly $60 million," added Frampton, who also noted that more than 200 victims may have paid ransoms, even though only 15 admitted doing so. Meanwhile, U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Florida Lead Prosecutor Carlton Gammons noted that NetWalker ransomware affiliates were given 80% of the ransomware proceeds, while 10% were allocated to ransomware developers.